diff --git a/hermes_cli/update_cmd.py b/hermes_cli/update_cmd.py
index 9481de8a97..6445a5e1d2 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/update_cmd.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/update_cmd.py
@@ -1384,11 +1384,8 @@ def _cmd_update_impl(args, gateway_mode: bool):
         if release_sha:
             fetch_result = _git_run(git_cmd, ["fetch", "--no-tags", "origin", target_ref], network=True)
         else:
-            # Explicit refspec so the tracking ref lands even on narrow clones whose only
-            # configured refspec is a tag (#125112): a branch-name fetch would leave the
-            # target unresolvable and the checkout/compare below would fail.
             fetch_result = _git_run(
-                git_cmd, ["fetch", "origin", f"+refs/heads/{branch}:refs/remotes/origin/{branch}"], network=True)
+                git_cmd, ["fetch", "origin", _check.tracking_refspec("origin", branch)], network=True)
         if fetch_result.returncode != 0:
             _print_fetch_failure(fetch_result.stderr)
             _m()._resume_windows_gateways_after_update(_windows_gateway_resume)
diff --git a/hermes_cli/update_cmd_check.py b/hermes_cli/update_cmd_check.py
index 0ee7fe8335..c541e03f32 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/update_cmd_check.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/update_cmd_check.py
@@ -71,13 +71,21 @@ def is_shallow_repository(git_cmd: list[str], root: Path) -> bool:
     return _git(git_cmd, root, ["rev-parse", "--is-shallow-repository"]).stdout.strip() == "true"
 
 
+def tracking_refspec(remote: str, branch: str) -> str:
+    """Refspec that always writes ``<remote>/<branch>``, whatever ``remote.<remote>.fetch`` says.
+
+    Narrow clones (tag-pinned ``--single-branch``, #125112) map only the tag, so a by-name fetch
+    writes FETCH_HEAD and never the tracking ref the updater resolves. The ``+`` is load-bearing:
+    on a depth-1 clone the new tip is not a descendant of the old one.
+    """
+    return f"+refs/heads/{branch}:refs/remotes/{remote}/{branch}"
+
+
 def _fetch(git_cmd: list[str], root: Path, depth_args: list[str], remote: str, branch: str):
     print(f"→ Fetching from {remote}...")
-    # Fetch by explicit refspec: on narrow clones (tag-pinned --single-branch, #125112) the
-    # configured remote.<remote>.fetch maps only the tag, so a branch-name fetch writes
-    # FETCH_HEAD and never creates the tracking ref the compare step resolves.
-    refspec = f"+refs/heads/{branch}:refs/remotes/{remote}/{branch}"
-    return _git(git_cmd, root, ["fetch", *depth_args, remote, refspec], **_uc()._no_prompt_git_kwargs())
+    return _git(
+        git_cmd, root, ["fetch", *depth_args, remote, tracking_refspec(remote, branch)],
+        **_uc()._no_prompt_git_kwargs())
 
 
 def fetch_compare_branch(git_cmd: list[str], root: Path, branch: str, depth_args: list[str]):
diff --git a/hermes_cli/update_cmd_git.py b/hermes_cli/update_cmd_git.py
index 59dac5e9c4..eddb579c7c 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/update_cmd_git.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/update_cmd_git.py
@@ -335,15 +335,14 @@ def _sync_with_upstream_if_needed(git_cmd: list[str], cwd: Path, *, assume_yes:
     See #97052.
     """
     from hermes_cli.update_cmd import _count_commits_between, _has_upstream_remote, _no_prompt_git_kwargs, _should_skip_upstream_prompt
+    from hermes_cli.update_cmd_check import tracking_refspec
     if not _has_upstream_remote(git_cmd, cwd) and (
         _should_skip_upstream_prompt() or not _offer_upstream_remote(git_cmd, cwd, assume_yes=assume_yes, input_fn=input_fn)
     ):
         return False
     print("\n→ Fetching upstream...")
     try:
-        # Explicit refspec (#125112): tag-pinned narrow clones never build upstream/main
-        # from a branch-name fetch, and the comparison below resolves it.
-        subprocess.run(git_cmd + ["fetch", "upstream", "+refs/heads/main:refs/remotes/upstream/main", "--quiet"], cwd=cwd, capture_output=True, check=True, **_no_prompt_git_kwargs())
+        subprocess.run(git_cmd + ["fetch", "upstream", tracking_refspec("upstream", "main"), "--quiet"], cwd=cwd, capture_output=True, check=True, **_no_prompt_git_kwargs())
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
         print("  ✗ Failed to fetch upstream. Skipping upstream sync.")
         return False